led, pulled hard, slow 5th, headed 14th, blundered 15th, soon ridden and weakened
held up towards rear, hit 14th, pulled up before next
held up towards rear, headway 16th, soon tracking winner, driven to challenge approaching 2 out, kept on same pace
held up in touch, pulled hard and not fluent 1st, slow 3rd, awkward 10th, weakened 4 out
held up in touch, went 3rd and ridden 3 out, weakened before next
held up in rear, under pressure 12th, behind when pulled up 15th
tracked leader, led 14th, ridden clear approaching last, stayed on well
Le Briar Soul can lead them home, Flying Falcon and Sherwoods Folly could be the ones to follow him over the line. Victor Dartnall's charge had shaped well in a strong contest at Market Rasen on his chase bow in November and confirmed that promise when beating a well regarded sort at Chepstow the following month. That form is solid and he can follow up. Sherwoods Folly ran a better race to be beaten just 8 lengths that day and could have a say if heading in the right direction but he still has a little to prove. Flying Falcon continues to run well in defeat and will land one of these sooner rather than later. Antonius Caesar was gifted victory here last time by the antics of Temoin but remains a fair prospect and shouldn't be underestimated. Stoway found the drop back to 2 miles against him last time, he does however have his stamina to prove at this trip and others look more solid. An interesting contest in which Le Briar Soul is taken to prevail.
Le Briar Soul (IRE) 9-1 (10-11) Prominent, hard ridden to lead last, won at Chepstow 3m beg chs (4) sft in Dec beating Mark The Book (11-0) by 1l, 14 ran.
Stoway (FR) 15-2 (11-12) Held up, ridden 9th, effort approaching 4 out, one pace, 4th of 8, 9l behind Letalus (11-2) at Wincanton 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Dec.
Antonius Caesar (FR) 5-2 (10-7) Led until approaching 8th, chased leader 3 out, led again after next, soon clear, won at Huntingdon 3m nov chs (3) hvy beating Temoin (10-13) by 6l, 3 ran.
Appleaday (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Behind, headway 8th, weakened before 2 out, 9th of 16, 25l behind Basic Fact (10-11) at Leicester 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Dec.
Flying Falcon 7-2 (10-13) Tracked leaders, ridden 2 out, soon every chance, weakened flat, 4th of 6, 5l behind Gidam Gidam (11-5) at Leicester 2m 7f nov chs (3) gs.
Loch Vic (IRE) 50-1 (10-12) Mistakes, mid-division, outpaced 8th, 7th of 15, 40l behind Timpo (10-12) at Warwick 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
Sherwoods Folly 40-1 (11-0) In touch, outpaced and lost place 14th, stayed on, 4th of 14, 8l behind Le Briar Soul (10-11) at Chepstow 3m beg chs (4) sft in Dec.
